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March 8, 1932. w; GREENLEAF 1,848,562

CLOCK SETTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 27, 1926 Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. GREEN LEAF, F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN CLOCK COMPANY, OF PER-U, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS cnocx SETTING MECHANISM Application filed. December-27, 1926. Serial No. 157,057.

My invention relates tothe class of devices employed for setting the hands of a time that shall be simple in construction and particularly eiiective in operation.

One form of a mechanism embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein .set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a clock embodying my improved setting mechanism, with parts broken away to show construction,

Figure 2 is a face view of the clock with parts'broken away to show construction, the clock being placed on its side, the hands being removed. I

Figure 3 is a view in central section through a portion of the mechanism illustrating the construction and operation of the setting means, scale enlarged.

Figure 4 is a view in central lengthwise sec-- tion through the setting stem sleeve, the scale being enlarged.

Figure 5 is a detail view on enlarged scale illustrating the manner of securing the, setting stem to its tip. t

Figure 6' is a detail view illustrating the construction of the sheath for the inner end of the minute hand arbor, the scale being enlarged. V

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 7 indicates a clock case in one portion of which accelerating mechanism, preferably of the electric type, is inclosed and in another portion of which clock mechanism including my improved setting mechanism is located. The accelerating mechanism, in the type here.- in illustrated, is periodically operated to impart accelerating movement to the clock mechanism in amanner well known to those skilledin the art and for which reason a detailed illustration and description are omitted herein as not necessary to a thorough understanding of my invention, it being suflicient to state that the main spindle 8 of this accelerating mechanism has a disc secured thereto, which disc has a finger 9 engaged with a finger 10 projecting from a disc secured to the inner end of-a sheath 11 for the I arbor of the minute hand, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. j

' This sheath is of special construction in that it embodies projections 11 comprising seats for a minute hand gear 12 that is a driv ing gear and that is secured to the sheath as by means of lead, solder," or similar metal fusible at a low temperature and that forms a hub 13 surrounding the sheath and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. These projections or seats 11 are formed in a sort of swaging' operation in which the metal is, by means of a suitable tool, forced downwardly and outwardly'in a manner to leave finger shaped supports 14 for a spring 15 to be hereinafter specifically referred to.

" A pro ecting end 16 of the sheath is rotatably supported in a bearing in a plate 17 comprising one of the supporting plates of the clock mechanism. A bushing 18 may be located within the sheath immediately surrounding the lower end of the minute hand setting gear 22secured in anysuitable manner to a setting'arbor 23' rotatably mounted in the plate 20 and having secured thereto an hour hand setting pinion 24 in mesh with an hour hand setting gear 25 secured to an hour handsleeve 26 mounted to rotate on the minute hand arbor 19' in a manner common to clock construction, said sleeve having an hour hand 27 secured thereto and the arbor 1 l9'having a minute hand 28 secured thereto. The gear 25 is secured to the sleeve 1n any suitable manner, as by means of solder or other metal fusible at a low temperature and as commonly employed in structures of this kind. I

The parts just described and comprising the gears, pinions, &c., bearing the numerals 25 to 28, are common to clock mechanism and are employed in such mechanism as a means for effecting the operations of the hour and minute hands. I have, however, re ferred to them as setting elements for the reason that in addition to their regular functions I make use of them a means for setting said hands, and I am enabled to do this by reason of the frictional connection which I provide between the gear 12 and said parts, and by means of which said parts are frictionall driven in my improved mechanism instead of being positively driven as in prior clock structures. The mechanism comprising these setting elements I refer to herein as a setting or hand operating train.

A setting stem sleeve 29 is secured near its inner end to the case 7, this sleeve preferably projecting into the case, and as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. A setting stem 30 is rotatably mounted in the sleeve 29 and has a limited lengthwise movement therein, as illustrated in Figure 4. A setting pinion 31 is secured to the inner end of the stem 30 and a setting tip 32 is secured to the outer end of said stem in a novel manner, and which embodies a washer 33, in its original form of concavo-convex shape and which is at first seated against a key 34 located in crosswise notches in the stem 30 and as shown in Figure 5. This washer is of a size substantially that of a recess 35 in the setting tip The end of said stem with the washer and key thereon is inserted in said recess and then, by means of a suitable tool, the washer is forced along the stem into contact with the bottom of the recess, this operation flattening the washer and thereby firmly embedding the key therein, as shown in Figure l, and firmly securing the stem to the tip.

A spring 36 is seated against the bottom of a recess 37 in the outer end of the sleeve 29, the opposite end of said sprin thrusting against the washer 33, thereby holding the stem 30 in its outward position and with the pinion 31 disengaged from the gear 22.

From this description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will be observed that the arbor l9 and sleeve 26, together with the n'iinutc and hour hands, are driven by the gear 12 in a manner common to clock construction, except that the connection between said gear and arbor is a frictional connection secured by means of the spring 15. The gear 12 has a driving force continually imparted to it by means of a spring or similar device (not shown) embodied in the mechanism in the case 7, which spring is periodically tensioned by means of electrically operated mechanism hereinbefore referred to, and which tensional force is imparted to the get r 12 through the frictional connection before mentioned. The gear 12 is connected by means of a pinion 38 and gear 39 with an escapement mechanism, not herein shown but which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. In this regular operation of the clock mechanism the setting gears and pinions are also driven, butthe setting stem remains idle owing to the fact of normal disengagement of the pinion 31 from the gear lVhen it is desired to set the hands the setting tip is grasped and pushed inward ly, engaging the pinion 31 with the gear 22, and a turning movement being then imparted to the stem 30 the various setting gears and pinions will be rotated, imparting rotating movement to the hour and minute hands for setting purposes. As hereinbeilore set forth by reason of the frictional connection of the pinion 21 with the gear 12 by means of the spring 15, said gear will not be rotated and the setting operation has, therefore, no effect upon the clock mechanism which is free to continue its normal operation if under power or which remains idle if not under power.

In order to distinguish the hand setting or operating train hereinbefore referred to from the train connecting the escapement mechanism with the arbor 1S) and including the gears and pinions 12, 38 and I have termed the latter a regulating tra n, in that it transmits the action of the escapement mechanism in regulating and controlling the power for operating the hands.

If a further understanding of the accelerating mechanism, hcrcinbefore referred to and embodying the spindle 8. is desired, reference is hereinby made to my co-pending application for improvements in clock mech anism filed concurrently herewith and containing an oath of the same date as the oath in this case, but such understanding will not be required for a thorough knowledge of the invention forming the subject matter of this application.

It will be noted that the inner end of the sleeve 29 is supported in a yoke 40 extending downwardly from the plate 20, and the sleeve 29 being screw threadedly engaged with the case 7, this together with the yoke. forms a very rigid support for said sleeve.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof: but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the in vention may be carried. out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim 1. A setting unit for a clock methanisn'l, said unit comprising a sleeve, a setting stem rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a tip hav ing a recess, and a washer compressed into and tightly against the walls of said recess and engaged withthe walls of said stem to secure the latter to said tip. I 2. A clock mechanism including an arbor, a sheath to receive said arbor, spoke llke seats formed from metal swaged out of the sides of said sheathand projectinglaterally 4. A clock mechanism including an arbor,

a bushing partially inclosing said arbor, a sheath within which the bushing inclosed portion of said arbor is rotatably mounted, a driving member separately formed from said sheath, and means rigidly connecting said driving member and sheath.

5. A clock mechanism including a hand supporting arbor, a setting member secured to said arbor, a recessed sheath having a bearing therein within which one end of said arbor is rotatably journaled, a driving member, means for rigidly connecting said driving member and sheath, and a frictional driving connection between said setting member and'said driving member.

6. A clock mechanism including a hand supporting arbor, a setting member secured to said arbor, a sheath within which said arbor is rotatably mounted, a driving memher, a hub of fusible material formed about said sheath and rigidly connecting it with said driving member, and a frictional driving connection between said hand setting and driving members.

7. A clock mechanism including an arbor, a sheath within which said arbor is rotatably mounted, spoke like seats formed of metal swaged out from said sheath, a driving member supported onsaid seats, and a hub for rigidly securing said driving member to said sheath.

8. A clock mechanism including an arbor, a sheath within which said arbor is rotatably mounted, seats and fingers projecting in transverse directions from said sheath, a driving member supported on said seats, means for rigidly securing said driving memher to said sheath and setting mechanism operatively connected to said driving member through said fingers. 7

9. A clock mechanism including-a. hand supporting arbor, a setting member secured to said arbor, a sheath within which one end driving gear to said sheath, and a frictional driving connection between said driving and setting members.

10. A clock mechanism including a hand supporting arbor, a setting member secured to said arbor, a sheath within which said arbor is rotatably mounted, seats and fingers projecting in transverse directions from said sheath, a driving member supported on said seats, means for securing said driving member to said sheath, and a frictional driving connection between said driving and setting members and bearing against said fingers.

11. A setting unit for a clock mechanism,

said unit comprising a sleeve with a hole therethrough counterbored at one end, a set- V ting stem rotatably mounted in said sleeve,

a tip having a recess to receive the end of said sleeve, a key seat formed in said stem, a washer engaged with said key and pressed tightly against the walls of said tip, and a spring located between said washer and the bottom of said counterbore.

12. A clock mechanism including a case, a plate extending across said case, a yoke secured to and projecting from said plate, a

setting stem sleeve removably attached to the case and with its inner end engaged within said yoke, and a setting stem projecting through said sleeve and having a member adapted to be engaged with a member of the clock mechanism.

13. A clock mechanism including a case, a plate extending across the case, a yoke projecting from said plate, and a setting unit comprising a sleeve screw threadedly engaged in the wall of the'case and projecting therethrough and with its inner end supported by said yoke, a setting stem projecting through said sleeve and having a pinion adapted to engage a pinion of the clock mechanism, a tip secured to said stem, said setting unit being of a size to be inserted through said screw threaded opening in the clock case.

WILLIAM H. GREENLEAF.

of said arbor is rotatably mounted, seats 

